The bill, S.B. No. 1134, aims to enhance financial assistance for tuition and fees at postsecondary educational institutions for certain members of the Texas military forces. Key amendments include increasing the maximum number of semester credit hours eligible for tuition exemption from 12 to 15, and extending the exemption to cover all mandatory fees for any semester or term in which the tuition exemption is granted. Additionally, the bill allows for a maximum of 45 assistance awards for members of the Texas State Guard per semester or term, unless a compelling need for more is demonstrated.

Further provisions specify that assistance for tuition and mandatory fees can be awarded for any undergraduate or graduate course at eligible institutions, including vocational and technical courses. The bill also limits the total assistance a service member can receive to 15 semester credit hours per semester or term and caps the duration of assistance to seven academic years or 15 semesters or terms. The changes are set to take effect starting with the fall semester of 2025, pending legislative approval for immediate enactment.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Education Code 54.345, Government Code 437.226 (Government Code 437, Education Code 54)